First off, let me say I think the Gophers are good enough and will do well enough that Fleck won't go on the Hot Seat regardless. But, if I'm wrong, then I think it could happen.
Maybe we all have different definitions of "Hot Seat", but to me it means if you go 1-4 or something to start the year next year is the AD likely to can you mid-season. So based on that definition:
Unless the Gophers only win 3 games or something this year, Fleck won't be on the hot seat. Winning less than 6 though will get the grumbling started and the "negative" articles will start coming questioning if he can get over the hump.
If they don't make a Bowl, I think he's in the hot seat going into next year. No, they won't pull the trigger this summer (barring something crazy), but in that scenario, I could see him needing to get some wins early next year to not get canned. It's hard to say, because I don't think we know enough yet about Coyle and how itchy his trigger finger is, but it seems like he's more likely to pull the trigger if he sees an issue than not. He pulled the trigger on Claeys and Lucia but not on Pitino, so a little mixed bag.
I don't think we have enough money to put PJ on the hot seat after this year.... somewhat similar to Lovie Smith at Illinois... we're just not a team who can afford to swap coaches after one or two bad years unless they were at the end of their contract anyway.
The attendance is already bad enough. If he sees the fan base giving up on PJ he may have to pull the trigger to try to maintain the income they have. Besides, you are talking about the same team that was paying two different fired coaches and a third coach at the same time. I don't think buyout will be the deciding factor.
Also I think if Fleck is gone, so is Coyle. So it would have to be so disastrous of a season that you'd fire both and I don't see that happening.
Sent from my phone using Tapatalk
Absolutely disagree Coyle would be fired, unless Gabel wants to get her own person in the office and uses that as an excuse. PJ Fleck and Les Miles were the two most desirable candidates out there, Coyle had both interested and got the one he wanted. Fleck may or may not work out here, but that doesn't change the fact he was a very good hire based on all available information at the time.
Hell, if Maturi wasn't canned after whiffing on Brew when he hired someone whom most AD's would never had considered and it resulted in the team going into the toilet in historic fashion, I don't see Coyle getting canned now for hiring one of the most no brainer hires ever.